Clematisplant named ‘Evipo098’

ABSTRACT

A new Clematis plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, red-purple flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: viticella.

Variety Denomination: ‘Evipo098’.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematisplant which originated from a controlled crossing between the femaleseed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, anun-named seedling. Both parent varieties are non-patented.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2005 and the resultingseeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment inGuernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named‘Evipo098’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new Clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parentand male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The female seedparent has Red-Purple Group 65B tepals while the new variety has tepalswith coloration of Red-Purple Group 62C with intonations of Red-PurpleGroup 70A. The male seed parent has white tepals while the new varietyhas red-purple tepals.

The objective of the hybridization of this Clematis plant was to createa new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualitiessuch as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant red-purple flowers;    -   2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable for        container culture; and    -   3. Improved disease resistance.

This combination of qualities was lacking in Clematis plants that werein commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo098’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison intheir Clematis development program in the Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom in 2006. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo098’ by means ofvegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed byMogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summerof 2006. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo098’ are true to type andare transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Evipo098’.

Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings is an open flower,tepals detached revealing reproductive flower parts, and a flower bud.

FIG. 2 shows mature and juvenile leaves, and bare stems.

Illustrated plants are 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo098’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in Marion County Oreg.Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2 litercontainers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may varyunder different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, andclimatic conditions. Color references are made using The RoyalHorticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except wherecommon terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the Clematisvariety ‘Evipo027’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No.27,281 are compared to ‘Evipo098’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo098’ ‘Evipo027’ Flower diameter 135 mm 145 mm Tepal upperRed-Purple Group Red-Purple Group 75A surface after 62C with intonationswith a central bar Red- opening of Red-Purple Group Purple Group 77A 70ATepal count 8 6 to 8

Flower and Flower Bud

-   Blooming habit: Continuous. The natural flowering period is    generally from April to September.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Normally 37 mm in length. Bud diameter is 11 mm.        -   Bud form.—Long campanulate, broad based.        -   Bud color.—Yellow-Green Group 145A.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Surface texture.—Lightly pubescent.        -   Length.—On average 60 mm in length with 2 mm diameter.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 145A.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.-   Receptacle:    -   -   Surface texture.—Lightly pubescent.        -   Shape.—Broad funnel.        -   Size.—1 mm (h)×2 mm (w).        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 145A.-   Flower arrangement:    -   -   Location on vine.—New and old growth.        -   Borne.—Singly, and in clusters of 3 flowers.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Size.—On average, flowers are 135 mm in diameter and 35 mm            in depth.        -   Profile.—Open flowers are flat.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lasting quality.—Flowers normally remain up to 14 days on            the plant.-   Tepals:    -   -   General tonality.—Red-Purple Group 65C and Red-Purple Group            70C.        -   Tepal color.—Upon opening, the upper surface is Red-Purple            Group 62C with intonations of Red-Purple Group 70A. The            lower surface has a central bar the color of Yellow-Green            Group 145D. Adjacent to the central bar Red-Purple Group            69C. At the margin, Red-Purple Group 62C.        -   Quantity.—Normally 8 tepals.        -   Size.—70 mm in length by 41 mm wide.        -   Shape.—Individual tepal shape is elliptic. The tepal apex is            Acute. The tepal base is typically acuminate.        -   Apex recurvature.—None.        -   Tepal cross section.—Somewhat cupped.        -   Margins.—Entire. Strong undulations.        -   Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Anthers.—Size: 8 mm in length. Color: Greyed-Purple Group            N186A. Quantity: On average, 56.        -   Filaments.—Color: Green-White Group 157A at the base, and            Red-Purple Group 71A at the upper portion. Length: 8 mm.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: On average, 26.        -   Stigmas.—Superior in location relative to the length of the            filaments and the height of the anthers.        -   Styles.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 145C. Length: 18 mm.-   Seed head characteristics: Seed not observed to date.

Plant

-   Plant form: Climbing.-   Plant growth: Moderately vigorous.-   Size: Seasons growth attains 80 to 100 cm in height. Average spread    is 45 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Juvenile stems are Greyed-Orange Group 177B. Mature            stems are Greyed-Orange Group 175A.        -   Internodes.—On average, 62 to 75 mm between nodes.        -   Length.—Normally 35 cm from the base of the plant to the            flowering portion of the stem.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Texture.—Mature stems are ribbed.-   Plant foliage:    -   -   Leaf characteristics.—Deciduous.        -   Arrangement.—Ternate.        -   Leaf size.—Compound leaves are about 115 mm (l)×120 mm (w).            Leaflets are about 55 mm (l)×20 mm (w).        -   Abundance.—On average leaves per 10 cm of stem.        -   Leaf color.—Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 144A Juvenile            lower Yellow-Green Group 144B. Mature upper Yellow-Green            Group 146A. Mature lower Yellow-Green Group 147B.        -   Stipules.—Absent.        -   Petioles.—Size: Normally 56 mm in length by 1.5 mm diameter.            Texture: Smooth. Color: Greyed-Orange Group 171C.        -   Petioloule.—Size: About 25 mm in length by 1.5 mm diameter.            Texture: Smooth. Color: Greyed-Orange Group 171C.        -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate. The base is rounded, apex acuminate.        -   Margin.—Entire. Occasionally deep cleft at terminal leaflet.        -   Surface.—The upper side is smooth, the lower side is smooth.        -   Thickness.—Moderate.        -   Glossiness.—Glossy.-   Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the    species. However the variety is more tolerant to Clematis wilt,    Ascochyta clematidina, than some Clematis known to the inventors.-   Cold hardiness: The variety is tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 6.-   Heat tolerance: The variety has been found to be suitable for    climate conditions found in the American Horticulture Society heat    zone 7.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Clematis plant named‘Evipo098’, substantially as described and illustrated, due to itsabundant red-purple flowers with good keepability, attractive longlasting foliage and compact growth, year round flowering underglasshouse conditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttingsin pots, durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.